1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to printed material and to methods of manufacturing printed material. The present invention relates more specifically to printed material having printed information concerning drugs or other commercial products.
The present invention provides a new form of printed material, referred to herein as a booksert, having substantial benefits over existing printed materials, and especially useful in conjunction with drug products and other commercial products.
2. Description of the Background Art
Printed materials for providing printed information related to commercial products, such as warnings, instructions, etc., are known. Known printed materials include booklets (e.g., with stapled bindings), package outserts and package inserts.
An exemplary package outsert, for example, is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,374 for a UNIVERSAL NON-JAMMING MULTI-PLY MULTI-FOLD OUTSERT WITH COMPACT PERIPHERAL EDGES (AND RELATED METHOD), which is made from a single sheet of stock material having printed information. Single sheet inserts or outserts are typically awkward to handle and/or to read. As a result, users may not be able to nor desire to read information printed thereon, even important information related to drug products or the like.
Known booklets also have a number of drawbacks. Typically, they are complicated to manufacture. They can also be difficult to print upon or may have less room for copying. In addition, booklets having stapled bindings can be problematic in that staples can scratch users, items, and the like.
While a variety of booklets, inserts and outserts are known, existing printed materials have a number of limitations and drawbacks. There remains a continued need in the art for new and improved printed materials and, in particular, for new and improved printed materials for use with drug products and other commercial products, as well as for new and improved methods of manufacturing such printed materials.
The present invention involves a novel form of printed material, referred to herein as a booksert, and a method of manufacturing such a booksert which overcomes the above and other limitations of existing booklets, inserts and outserts.
The present booksert is preferably formed from a single sheet of material that is glued, folded, and trimmed to form a multi-page booksert. The booksert can be used, for example, for printed information related to drugs or other commercial products. The booksert can also include a removable insert, such as a coupon, a rebate form, a business reply card or another removable item.
According to a first aspect of the invention, a method of manufacturing a booksert is provided which includes the steps of: providing a single generally rectangular sheet of material; providing a glue strip within a first region of the sheet; folding a second region of the sheet without the glue strip with respect to the first region over a first fold-line such that the first and second regions overlap one another and are adhered together along the glue strip; trimming the booksert along the first fold-line; and folding the booksert over an axis through the glue strip.
According to another aspect of the invention, the method may include: providing a second glue strip within a third region of the sheet; folding the third region of the sheet over a second fold-line such that the first, second and third regions overlap one another and are adhered together; and trimming the booksert along the second fold-line.
According to another aspect of the invention, the method may include: folding a third region of the sheet over a second fold-line such that the first, second and third regions overlap one another; trimming the booksert along the second fold-line; the third region being unattached to the first and second regions after the steps of trimming to form a removable insert.
According to another aspect of the invention, a method of manufacturing a booksert having a removable insert is provided which includes the steps of: providing a single generally rectangular sheet of material, the sheet having at least three generally equal-size regions; providing a glue strip along a first of the regions; folding a third of the regions with respect to a second of the regions over a first fold-line such that the second and third regions overlap one another but are not adhered to one another; folding the second region with respect to the first region over a second fold-line such that the second region overlaps the first region and is adhered to the first region along the glue strip; trimming the booksert along the first and second fold-lines; and folding the booksert over an axis through the glue strip; whereby a booksert having a removable insert is created.
According to another preferred aspect of the invention, the booksert is further folded into a smaller final configuration. Preferably, the booksert is further folded over fourth and fifth fold lines. Preferably, a pressure sensitive adhesive is used to releasably maintain the booksert in its final configuration.
The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the invention will become clear from the following description of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.